From the Harford County Sheriff’s Office:
(Joppa, MD – May 6, 2010) On Thursday, May 6, 2010 at approximately 2:30am, Harford County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a 911 call for an officer in distress near the area of Stillmeadow Road and Haverhill Road in Joppa, MD. Upon arrival, they located an off-duty Baltimore City Police Officer bleeding profusely from a cut to the head. The assailant was not at the scene, but was identified by witnesses as James Kimble, age 20, of the first block of Haverhill Road of Joppa, MD. A short time later deputies were able locate Kimble, who had a jagged edged cut to his right hand and appeared to be intoxicated.
Deputies began investigating the situation that surrounded the events and were able to determine the following. Kimble was part of a group of individuals who had gathered outside of a home in 100 block of Haverhill Drive to mourn the loss of a friend who had recently died in a motorcycle crash. The off-duty officer was waved down by Kimble who exited his vehicle and identified himself as a police officer. Allegedly, Kimble confronted the off–duty officer; used racially derogatory language, accused him of speeding and struck him in the head with a glass beer mug. Medics responded from the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company and transported the victim to John Hopkins Bayview Medical Center for treatment of his injuries, which included a severe laceration to his left eye.
As a result of the investigation, Kimble was placed under arrest, transported to Upper Chesapeake Medical Center for treatment of his injured hand. He was then transported to the Harford County Detention Center for processing.
Kimble has been charged with 1st degree assault, 2nd degree assault, reckless endangerment and further charged under CR10-304(1) a first degree assault committed because of race and color. He is currently being held in lieu of $1,000,000.00 bail. A bond review hearing is scheduled at District Court on Friday, May 7, 2010.
OHHhhhh, this was SMART!!! Lock him up for 5 years, please.
Funny how this man is in a hospital undergoing surgery and it can’t even make the front page of Dagger. There is an entire family in dealing with this event but yet Dagger seems to focus on personal pissing contest within the county. Not only is there an issue of criminal activity here, and possible hate speech only illuminated by drunken disorderly behavior, but the lack of respect for responding officers must be addressed. You want to meet crime head on in Harford County, then by all means what message are you going to send your men and women serving its citizens by not carefully looking at what is provided to them on a daily basis to fulfill their roles.
The Sheriffs department can only do so much, and at some point the communities need to step up and let their elected officials know “no more”. With the increase in BRAC numbers coming, and a nice little Casino to boot just up in Perryville, dont dare think Harford County is too cute to get a spike in criminal activity.
This incident could and should have been prevented, but as with all things alchohol and ignorance run its course until its too late.
There was no “responding officer”. He was on his way home. To be a responding officer, you have to have a call. I think these guys were upset that their friend died in a traffic accident and took their anger way too far (WAY TOO FAR) on someone they felt was driving recklessly.
Probably, both parties were doing something wrong – and unfortunately, both parties have a price to pay here.
I really don’t think “both parties were doing something wrong” This police officer was doing nothing to warrant a beating. These kids were a bunch of low class punks. When that officer called for the signal 13 he feared for his life. These punks think they can walk around and don’t have a care as to whose life they may affect. And then to hear this kids mother on the news…..well like they say ” The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” This kids is a criminal and I hope the State Attorney throws this punk in jail for years. This may have been a different story if the officer had his gun on him…….
That is why I am satisfied that my kids are always armed as law enforcement officers.
Ummm.. Magic Columbine, It is an EPIC FAIL to draw a conclusion that because they were upset over a death therefore it okay to beat a man and yell racial epithets up until the point they were arrested. I don’t teach my kids that if they are upset about A, its okay to be mad at C and therefore commence to brutal violence. Poor excuse for lack of personal responsibility, a affliction with many youth and adult these days…its always someone else fault or “something made me do it”.
There were plenty of responding officers to the scene…every deputy working in the Edgewood/Joppa area plus a few others responded there.
Regardless, the only person driving recklessly in this whole mess was their buddy who died in a motorcycle crash not far from there (and he was completely at fault in that crash.)
Being upset about their friend being killed because of his own poor judgment doesn’t give them the right to scream racial slurs (which are plainly audible on the unedited 911 call), assault someone, and possibly end an officer’s career if he does end up losing his eye.
I don’t know Mr. Kimble, but his actions tell me he is a worthless P.O.S. I would be happy to see him breaking big rocks into small rocks for the next 50 years since I can’t imagine his contribution to society being missed. As far as his friend, I would never deny anyone the right to drive a motorcycle but I do urge them to carry enough life insurance to provide for any loved ones they will leave behind.